Part 3 - Part 2
A commonly misconceived substitute for a healthy ego is egoism. This is understandable, it seems natural to pay attention to the loudest voice, particularly when it exudes confidence.
It is only when one has been carelessly let down that we realize that the loudest voice offered nothing of substance.
Even then we can suffer bewilderment as to how and why our hopes and expectations were shattered by naively placing our trust in folk with whom we shouldn't.
The remedy to this predicament is to build our own healthy ego.
It is necessary to transcend self to become anything more.
Once done, we discover we have the power to distinguish between states of ego in others. Enabling us to better recognize who is trustworthy, capable, dependable, and wise.
Yes, I can amass stacks of money while I am egotistical.
Or become an industry leader by dint of corruption, manipulation, and intimidation.
Maybe a national or local political leader by appealing to constituents worries, fears, sense of dependency on authority, and desires. Chucking a dash or two of charm into the mix even. Does egoism help to develop me? Expand my mind? Advance the Human Species? Is it sustainable?
The answer is a resounding no.
An egoist is standing on very thin ice. There is little supporting him. Save his inflated opinion of himself. This applies equally to the fairer sex.
In the absence of force an egoist depends on impressing others with how 'great' he is, to get his way.
This works amazingly well in the presence of impressionable minds. But becomes a distinct liability in the eyes of one who understands how the Human mind achieves equitable objectives.
The egotist should not be outright condemned. Egotism is a cry for help.
He needs support, understanding, and much association with others who are in charge of their egos to help him change his mindset from inwards to outwards, opening it, by degrees, to the big picture.
The steel trap here is that this must be a decision one makes of his own volition.
I have a precision metalworking machine-shop. Can you imagine the results I would get if the controls on these machines were neither accurate nor reliable?
The results may be hilarious, or they could be downright life threatening.
One thing is for sure, they would not be satisfactory.
Would we keep using such machines if the results were not predictable?
Did you answer No!!?
It makes no sense, but unpredictable is what we allow to happen when we are not Masters of our ego.
Egotism plants the seeds of disorder and eventual havoc.
We fare none the better by blindly trusting our leaders who would have us believe they are masters of their ego. Accepting unsatisfactory results, not knowing that we ourselves can engineer fitting solutions. To any problem.
Healthy egos are not blind. They see straight through incompetence and wrongdoing.
Humans are Clever Creatures. But we need to learn how to take charge of our emotions. It rarely just happens.
Learning how to take charge of our emotions establishes the foundation and superstructure of our healthy ego. Equipping our inner machine with accurate, dependable, and functional controls.
Taking charge of our emotions is no less a practiced skill than any art or discipline requiring applied intelligence.
A great place to start taking charge of self and building a healthy ego, is realizing which one of the two clubs in life we all belong.
The Not Afraid To Be Wrong Club
Or . . .
The Afraid To Be Wrong Club
It is a sorry fact of life that the quite avoidable default Human condition is membership of the latter outfit.
But In reality, no sadder than the fact that weeds grow by default. Whilst a useful plant needs to be cultivated and tended.
Humans can exercise their individual prerogative, and their responsibility, by cultivating and tending their own mind.
With Loving care.
It takes a lot of conscious effort to attain membership of The Not Afraid To Be Wrong Club.
This effort, part of our molding of our self image to reach the highest status of Master of our soundly cultivated and tended ego, is worth the exertion. Because it accomplishes several estimable objectives.
Elevating one's self into the Not Afraid To Be Wrong Club delivers privileges obtainable in no other way. No one can do this for us - Membership is a product of a healthy ego and healthy self esteem. Cultivating these two essentials of a Positive Mindset encourages self confidence and self reliance. Doing so is ultimately the responsibility of the individual.
Once a member of this rarefied club we get to practice our undertaking of joy . . .
Confidently expanding on taking charge of our ego and mastering any discipline within our innate capabilities.
Open and expand our mind . . .
Learning and understanding become high priorities, contributing to the readiness with which we master our innate abilities.
Tolerance becomes second nature.
We enthusiastically Drop-Kick into Outer Space the useless eagerness to squabble and bicker. Recognizing that arguing has a deleterious effect whenever and wherever it is indulged in.
Best of all . . .
It is here in The Not Afraid To Be Wrong Club that one recognizes and meets trustworthy, useful, dependable, capable, competent, and wise self cultivated others.
From this point on . . .
Working together with self cultivated others in Total Harmony, fitting solutions can be envisaged, developed, and implemented. The forte of a healthy ego in action.
Clever Humans Rock!
Part 3 - Part 2
Next - Egoism